Name: Semma Burba

How you found SCF: I saw a college friend post crazy workout photos on Facebook over 5 years ago.She looked super fit and the workouts looked so fun!I was at a point where I dreaded my tv treadmill workouts and needed something more.I looked up CrossFit in my area and found SCF.It took one session and I was all in.

Favorite thing about CF: Gaining a sense of badassery.I was an overweight and out of shape stay at home mom who was embarrassed by what I had become.CrossFit saved me.It regularly challenges me and gives me purpose, confidence, capability, gratitude, and humility.

Favorite WOD: Fran

Least fav WOD: Fran.It was my very first benchmark workout experience, and it will forever give me butterflies when it shows up on the whiteboard.

Favorite Movement: Handstand walk

Least Favorite Movement: Snatch.I’m working on our relationship.

12 month goal: comfortably snatch 155, compete in a sprint triathlon, compete in an oly meet, play 5 new sports, do a CF competition with Annie

Something interesting about me:I trained my dog to find lost/missing people (dead or alive).There is no way you could hide in the woods and not have him find you.Let me know if you want to try…

Who is next: Paige

Name: Annie (NiNi) Burba

Occupation: High school student and hospital volunteer on Saturdays.

How you found SCF: I was just wondering through the woods and I happened upon this gym and coincidentally my mom was in there.So I found a home.And a mom.And a gym.

Fav thing about CF:Everything

Favorite WOD: Annie

Least fav WOD: Semma

Favorite Movement: Stretching

Least fav Movement: I have a lot.Let’s say rowing.I’m really slow at rowing.

12 month goal: Still be here

Something interesting about me:My mom’s a coach

Who is next: Semma (She insisted. Also, Kyle kept forgetting and told me to pick someone in his place, so Annie was my pick. Karma.)

Name: Lenore Namou

Occupation: Full time weightlifter; part time student

How you found SCF: Raptis fam

Fav thing about CF: Pat and Emma

Favorite WOD: Isabel

Least fav WOD: Crossfit

Favorite Movement: Snatch

Least fav Movement: Ring Muscle Ups

12 month goal: Do a wod

Something interesting about me: My moped got stolen

Who you nominate: Kyle

Name: Drew Johnson

Occupation: freshman at MSU

How you found SCF: a junior in a level 100 class told me about SCF

Fav thing about CF: Michael

Favorite WOD: Helen (run, KBS, pull-ups)

Least fav WOD: 15.5 (rowing and thrusters)

Favorite Movement: running

Least fav Movement: thrusters

12 month goal: to not be as small

Something interesting about me: I make my own cold brew coffee

Who is next: Lenore

Name: Emma Thompson

Occupation: Full-time MSU student

How you found SCF: It was the one that people told me about in the area.

Fav thing about CF: How friendly and encouraging everyone is around you. People cheer eachother on and genuinely care how you are doing.

Something interesting about me: I️ can do a mean impression of a surfer (and a Slovak!)

Who is next: Emma

Name: Austin Pond

Occupation: Junior at MSU, MI Army National Guard (11B)

How you found SCF: I started CF in the spring of 2015, so when I moved to MSU I searched up boxes in the area. Dropped in at ELCF, and then Spartan. I made the easy decision and got a membership here at SCF.

Favorite thing about CF: The every day challenge, the community and friends, Michael’s quotes from The Office, Open szn, and that it made me a little less weak.

Name: Jacob Georges

Occupation: Freshman at MSU pursuing a mechanical engineering degree

How you found SCF: I previously did CF back at home, so when I decided I was going to attend MSU I searched for the closest CF affiliate near the campus and spartan crossfit popped up. I’m glad i found it cuz the gym and people are great!!

Fav thing about CF: I like crossfit because it gives me the opportunity to improve myself everyday. Every time I walk into the gym I realize just how much stuff I’m not very good at. When I’m able to turn one of those weaknesses into a strength, the feeling of all that hard work paying off is what keeps me motivated.

Name: Evan Guay

Occupation: I’m a student (3rd year medical student and PhD candidate in Anthropology), and I paint.

How you found SCF: Some of my classmates and I had started a “gym” as relief from med school, but then they were dispersed to hospitals across the state, and I remained in East Lansing to tend to my research. After a few months of working out alone, Jacqui Carroll slowly started to reel me in—first with a couple punch cards; then I was talked into a membership; and then I was talked into participating in the Open. I’m hooked.

Fav thing about CF: I hadn’t realized it before coming to SCF, but I really missed competitive athletics. SCF gives me that physical stimulus, along with a sense of community and camaraderie, and the programming and instruction drive me toward improvement… Plus it allows me to mentally check-out.

Favorite WOD: I tend to like WODs with non-weighted cardio, jumping, and moderate loads & reps of Olympic lifts.

Least Favorite WOD: Those that take a very long time or involve high rep chest-to-bar pull-ups, cuz they invariably tear up my hands

Name: Hunter McGowan

How you found SCF: I found Spartan CrossFit through my coach, Jake Lyons

Fav thing about CF: The competitiveness and support

Favorite WOD: Grace

Least fav WOD: I don’t have a least favorite WOD

Favorite Movement: Clean

Least fav Movement: Heavy Thrusters

12 month goal: Get better a gymnastic movements

Who do I nominate: Evan

Name: Tim Nellis

Occupation: Mechanical engineer

How you found SCF: After moving back from Virginia, I needed to find a new gym. I talked with Shelly about it at work and she recommended SCF. I visited the gym and took the first class. Coaches were great, so I decided to keep going.

Fav thing about CF: I love the different workouts. It keeps everything fresh. All the people are very supportive. The coaches give great advice and in a constructive way. I know I’ve increased my PRs on form alone.

Favorite WOD: I love chipper WODs. I know I’m slow, but I can just pound it out.

Least fav WOD: The one that broke my nose.

Favorite Movement: Dead lift

Least fav Movement: Any gymnastic movement

12 month goal: I’ve gotten stronger in the 10 months I’ve been going. I’ve cut some inches around the waist. I want to lose more weight and finally be able to do some pull ups.

Who do I nominate: Hunter

Name: Shelly Jones

Occupation: Mechanical Engineer

How you found SCF: I did a Google search for local Crossfit affiliates within a short radius of my home. I researched each online by looking at their webpages. I visited each and did their Introductory class. SCF was the clear winner.

Fav thing about CF: The challenging variety of the workouts plus the comradery of the members and coaches in supporting each person’s goals throughout their fitness journey

Favorite WOD: I like the “chipper” WODs. I’m better at endurance than pure sprint.

12 month goal: I’ve come a long way in my first year of Crossfit but I still have much to learn. By this time next year, I’d like to be able to do full HSPUs, to string together kipping pull ups and do decent DUBS

Who do I nominate: Tim

Name: Shiva Kumar

(pronounced shiv-ah, like someone from Boston saying “shiver”)

Occupation: Software engineer at SOM.

How you found SCF: Instagram posts.

Fav thing about CF: Great workout routines, Saturday’s team workout, New friends in the community and the coaches they are really cool😊.

Favorite WOD: Fight gone bad.

Least fav WOD: None😜.

Favorite Movement: Deadlift.

Least fav Movement: OHS.

12 month goal: To do all movements perfectly.

Who do I nominate: Shelly

Name: Bekah Morrow

Occupation: Eligibility Specialist at SOM

How you found SCF: my now Fiancé introduced me to Spartan after moving home from TN.

Favorite thing about CF: 1) I get a full body workout in an hour 2) it pushes me beyond my limits – physically and mentally and 3) the community

Goal for 2017: Finally be able to have Alex or Pat come over while I’m doing a snatch, nod their heads, and walk away.

Have I done the open? NO. Will I do it? Looks like I’m being peer-pressured this year!

I would like to nominate LAINIE!

Name : Erica Baca

Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT

Occupation: Lead, Software Developer at Jackson National

How you found CF: I was spending time with by best friend Sheila in Salt Lake City. She had just started Crossfit and took me to her gym. I enjoyed it and looked for a box when I got home. I found Spartan and the rest is history.

Favorite thing about CF: CrossFit keeps me in shape for so many other activities. For example, my running pace improved by 2 minutes per mile even though I don’t run regularly.

Favorite wod: Surrender Dorthy. I also like the hero WODs Murph and Michael

Least favorite wod: Anything with a painful amount of wall balls

Favorite movement: Running, GHD Sit-ups, Barfees

Least favorite movement: Rowing, wall balls,

Goal for 2017: Double unders and lifting heavier

Have you done the open? No, but I plan to do it this year!

Who would you like to nominate to answer these next? Jacqui Carroll

Name: Melissa Martinez

Hometown: grew up in Rochester Hills, moved to East coast, now back in Mitten in Lansing

Occupation: Chef

I found crossfit through my old personal trainer. The gym we trained at opened a crossfit corner (it was literally a tiny corner), and she started incorporating CF into our work outs. I loved it and ended up joining the crossfit side. My favorite thing about crossfit is feeling my best inside and out; taking care of my body and mind. My favorite thing about Spartan CF is the friends we have made and the tribe we belong to.

Favorite WOD: linda and 9/11 tower climb

Least fave WOD: don’t really have one, but I don’t love running

Fave move: rowing and barfees. I know I’m weird

Least fave move: snatch, cant get under them

goal for 2017: dubs and get under the bar!!

Have I done the open? YES Will I do it again? YES

I nominate Erica Baca

Name: Scott Martinez

Hometown: Lansing MI

Occupation: welder

How you found CF: I found CrossFit through my wife. She wanted to join for a month or two and kept asking if I would join with her. I was hesitant because I was expecting something completely different. Expecting not to like the atmosphere, people, excuse, after excuse. However I ended up going and now two years later I can’t imagine even missing a week of it. 👍

Favorite thing about CF: What I love about CrossFit is seeing where I can go. How far into a dark spot I can go and still come out alive and better than when I went in. Any bad day you have or problem seems like nothing when you have 100 thrusters staring you in the face. It is for sure the best therapy.

Favorite wod: Definitely Cindy, murph, and Linda. Man they are so fun

Least favorite wod: Death by snatch or anything with tabata in it

Favorite movement: Anything body weight it’s fun to fly around stuff

Least favorite movement: Snatch and thrusters. Overhead game is weak

Goal for 2017: GET STRONGER

Have you done the open? Will you do it again? Yes and yes

Who would you like to nominate to answer these next? I nominate Melissa Martinez

Name: Kara Sweet aka Bart

Hometown: East Lansing, MI

Occupation: Special Education Teacher

How I found CF: I honestly have no recollection of how I heard about Crossfit. I was living down in North Carolina and had no friends (I had just moved!) so I on a whim, I decided to look for a Crossfit gym to get in shape and find companionship (without having to buy a dog). I found a small gym, fell in love with the workouts and met some amazing people. When I moved home, I tried out another box before finding my home at Spartan Crossfit,and they’ve been stuck with me ever since.

Favorite things (I’m putting two because I can’t decide):

The people- I cannot even begin to describe how much they mean to me. My tribe.

The environment- On the worst day, that’s the place I want to be, because it calms me down. There’s nothing that Michael’s programming can’t fix.

Favorite WOD: Murph. Even though it was really hard- I felt so proud accomplishing it.

Goal for 2017: To do double-unders consecutively without whipping myself in the leg, and get kipping pull-ups down.

Open? Will do it again? Yes, Yes.

Name: Laura Mark

Hometown: Grand Blanc, M

Occupation: Statistician

How you found CF: Completely on accident. In undergrad I decided to join a fitness class at our rec center. There was one that sounded pretty cool, so I picked that one. They called it U-Fit. It was taught by Crossfit instructors and it was all Crossfit workouts, but they couldn’t use the official name because it technically wasn’t a certified location. Four years later and I’m still loving it (although now at an actual box).

Favorite thing: The mental challenge. It’s definitely physically exhausting but my mind always wants to quit way before my body does. It’s the best feeling to push past it and ignore the pressing urge to hobble/crawl/roll into a corner and cry instead of finishing the WOD.

Favorite WOD: Fran. It’s awful but I have a sick love for it.

Least favorite WOD: Triple 3. Pure nightmare fuel.

Favorite movement: It’s a tossup between pull-ups and handstand pushups.

Least favorite movement: I used to think it was rowing but then Michael started programming more of the airdyne.

Goal for 2017: Every now and then I can do bar muscle-ups. I want to be able to do them consistently.